A Wilted Rose
by The Good Girl
Summary: This world is ugly, but you're so beautiful to me. My first Degrassi fic...go easy. Cadence Corentinez hates herself, hates being 'just Cadence.' But what she doesn't know is that a certain Degrassi guy is falling for her...'just her'.........
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer- I do not own anything from Degrassi..If I did I wouldn't be sitting here in Pennsylvania! I'd be in my own private island sunbathing while Orlando Bloom rubs oils on me...*shakes out of daze* Woops sorry about that..;-)  
  
Author Note- Anyway, this is my first Degrassi fanfic...I only just started to get into the show, so you must excuse any mistakes, and please, please review and help me!! Constructive Criticism is most appreciated..  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! ;-) Anywho, here it is, chappie one! .-.SouL-SiStAh.- . aka *Nina*  
  
Walking down the hallways of my ever-so-cliché school, Degrassi High, everything was a blur. It was my junior year in this hell whole, and I hated every aspect of it. Lately, I had been drifting away from my friends, from my family, my school work was going down the drain..and it was only November. Life sucked. Especially for me, Cadence Corentinez.  
  
I had moved to the Degrassi area no more than three years before, entering my ninth grade. I didn't really mind a new school, it was a fresh start from the old me. The straight A, Plain Jane girl I used to be. Starting at a new school, meant starting a new me...and it was everything I had not hoped for...and more.  
  
Sure, I wasn't a social outcast at my old school, I had friends. I was funny and smart..but I wasn't popular, nor did I desire to be. Life was too short to maintain a 'petite' frame and bitching at people about how perfect you were..that just wasn't me..  
  
So here I am, Degrassi High, moved here with my slightly dysfunctional family from the states, trying to start over..I made a couple friends freshman year, nothing too big. I was okay with Paige, though I hated the way she treated people, but I didn't really get in her way, she didn't notice me too much. Ashley, now she I could relate to. She was my best friend and still is.  
  
Stopping at my locker to get my things for first period, I undid my lock and began putting my things into my locker. I looked into the mirror and examined my long, black hair streaked with red. I loved it..I found it so cool. I adjusted my choker quickly, then did a once over of my body, dusting off my black muscle tee, and my detached black and white striped sleeves that started just below my shoulder and ended at my wrists, parts of the sleeves wrapping around my middle finger. I frowned at a piece of lint on my green dickies that cut off at the upper calf just above my black converses.  
  
"Hey Cadence."  
  
I looked up and saw Ashley. I grinned. "What's up?" I said arranging my many rings and bracelets carefully on my wrists. I smiled as I stopped upon one of the rings, which Ashley gave me for my fifteenth birthday.  
  
"Nothing really...I forgot about Ms. Kwan's homework, so I have to do that at lunch."  
  
I laughed softly. "That's the way...cram your homework in at lunch."  
  
Ashley playfully flicked my shoulder, grinning. "Shut up! Hey-I love your shirt! Wait, it's mine you buffoon! You borrowed it like two months ago."  
  
I smirked as I dug into my messy locker trying to find my Media Immersion notes before the bell rang.  
  
"Hey, look who it is. The freak team!"  
  
Ashley and I whirled around at the cruel voice. My eyes rested upon Paige Michaelchuk. Lately, she had been getting to me...I wasn't sure why, but her and Hazel sought out every day to making my life a living hell. It was starting to get old.  
  
"Fuck off," I said, closing my locker and glancing at her posse, Hazel and Terri.  
  
"Oooooh, watch it Coreteniz, my BOYFRIEND might beat you up!" The group started cracking up as they rounded the corner. My face burned hot as Ashley and started towards the Media Immersions classroom.  
  
"You know, she's just so jealous that Craig likes you she has to boast about her and Spinner...she really doesn't even like him," Ashley told me as we took our seats in the back of the classroom.  
  
"Craig does not like me."  
  
"Shut up, he does so." Ashley smiled at my annoyed look. It had been going around that ever since Craig had started tutoring me in algebra that he had the hots for me...it was extremely annoying, being that I, indeed, did like Craig, but the fact that he didn't like me and it was only a rumor, hurt.  
  
"Okay, class, let's get started."  
  
Mr. Simpson's voice shook me out of my daze and Ashley giggled at my profound look. I flicked her before turning on my computer.  
  
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End of chapter one....how is it? Bad? Good? Sucky? Tell me! REVIEW, EMAIL ME, IM ME, ANYTHING......okay now hit that button!  
  
Its my first fanfic so please go easy on me...no really bad flamers, please!! Be nice ;-)! Hehe j/k do what ever the hell ya want!  
  
- SouL-SiStAh- 


	2. Butterflies

Author Note: Thanks to all my reviews! I love you guys! *PS* Riosgirl14 heyy girl! When I saw your name I was like, heyy...that looks familiar! LoL I didn't think any Stand By Me authors would like Degrassi....! Hehe...anyways...thanks to all the reviews!  
  
Chapter Two - Butterflies  
  
"Okay, so what's the surface area of the prism?" Craig asked me eagerly, making my brow furrow in concentration. Just seeing his hopeful looking face gazing at me, wanting me to answer correctly, made me think really hard until I was sure of my answer. I didn't want to disappoint him.  
  
"Um....one hundred and forty-eight?" I asked weakly, glancing into his big hues. They were so beautiful..I shook my head. As much as I hated to admit it, I liked Craig.....I just didn't have the best luck with guys and I didn't want to ruin my blossoming friendship with him. If it hadn't been for my clumsiness I wouldn't have ever met him. Just less than two years ago, I had been hurrying too my algebra class I was already late for, and I wasn't watching where I was going. Before I knew it I ran straight into Craig, my books and papers falling everywhere. Being the gentleman he was, he helped me pick up my things and noticed my 56% on a major test. He offered me help a couple weeks later when we started talking and I admitted my math weakness. I insisted I pay him, but he refused. Eventually, though, I forced him to except fifteen dollars a day. It wasn't much, but it was the most I could force him to accept. He tutored me three days a week, ever since the end of freshman year. Before I knew it we started becoming friends, and I found myself confiding in him more and more.  
  
"That's right!" Craig looked relieved as I smiled. "You got it right. Phew, I was getting worried there." He sat back in his seat and leaned his hands on my kitchen table.  
  
My smile grew as I got up to get us some drinks. "I finally got a question right! Yay!" I did a little victory dance as I poured us some sodas and Craig laughed. I couldn't stop the butterflies fluttering in my stomach-I had just made Craig laugh. And it was beautiful..I wanted to make him laugh all the time...I hoped it wouldn't be a fluke. I handed Craig his glass and I sat down across from him. I glanced at the clock on the oven.  
  
"My mom should be getting home from work soon," I said, closing my books.  
  
"Yeah, I should get going, I mean you're getting along great." He grinned at me and I smiled back. I loved his grin-it was cute and sweet and innocent.  
  
"You can stay if you want, you don't have to go right away. Come on, there has to be something good on T.V." I grinned as I got up from my seat and headed into the living room. Craig, to my relief, followed and I glanced at him and once again the butterflies came back as he smiled his sweet smile at me.  
  
I plopped on the couch and Craig did the same. Flipping through the channels, I wasn't really sure what we were going to watch. I gave up and clicked it off, turning to Craig.  
  
"So.... Craig," I said trying to make conversation. Despite my phony serious demeanor, I cracked a small smile.  
  
"Cadence," he said nodding his head and grinning a bit too. "What's new in your life?"  
  
I pretended to ponder the thought. "Oh, nothing. My mom is annoying the hell out of my lately, my older sister won't leave me alone, she keeps sneaking out at night and thinks I don't know...um..my younger sister is a druggie, I caught her getting high with her friends the other night...but other then that, no." I grinned. Craig looked alarmed.  
  
"Well that's interesting," he said.  
  
"What about you?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing...there's a school dance in a month and everyone's making a big deal about it and it's getting so annoying."  
  
"I know," I agreed. I was beginning to get nervous about the fall dance. What would I wear? Would someone ask me? Just then I heard the front door open and my mother, a woman in her early forties, came in. She smiled warmly at us.  
  
"Hello dears," she said heading to the kitchen. "I'm just about to make dinner, Craig do you want to stay?"  
  
"Um, no thanks Mrs. Corentinez, I better be going home...I'll see you tomorrow Cadence. Great job today, you're really coming along."  
  
I couldn't help but smile...and those damn butterflies came back again. *  
  
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short short short chapter! I know.....in the next chapter the other degrassi characters come in, like Spinner, Paige, Jimmy, JT, Manny, Toby, Emma, Marco, Ellie, maybe Liberty, some of Kendra......you know...okay well Review please!!! Thanks ;-)  
  
and don't worry, this is mainly a OC/Craig thing, the OC being Cadence....anyways review plz!!! No harsh flamers ;-) thanx! Byebye! 


	3. Crying and Lying

Chapter Three Confiding  
  
I wasn't sure how I managed to go to school the next day, my head felt like it was about to explode. The night before wasn't a pleasant one at my house..apparently my older sister was being her dumb usual self and had come home to tell my mother that she was expecting a child.  
  
When I heard I freaked. My older sister, my beautiful, once so smart and full of life, had been stupid enough to have sex unprotected and now she was going to be a mother of eighteen. My mother freaked. She called Audrey so many names I had never even heard of..I was scared and decided to hide in my room the rest of the night, occasionally getting sick and having to run into the bathroom to throw up the contents of my dinner.  
  
My mother told my sister she wasn't going to support her in anyway, and she was to be out of the house in a month. What my sister didn't see was the hurt and tears in my mother's eyes as she cried silently at the kitchen table. I was angry at Audrey for hurting us all in this way..I was so upset. I needed out..so I sought out my younger sister Jen and made her give me a joint or I threatened to tell our mother all about her getting high with her friends. I had never smoked before and the feeling of inhaling pot into my body, was insane. I puked my guts up that morning before school, and had a major head ache, not to mention my blood shot eyes.  
  
Walking into my first period class, algebra, I took a seat in the back of the classroom and looked out the window, tugging absentmindedly on my black mesh hoodie. I was so sick this morning I just pulled my hair into a messy bun at the top of my head, threw on a hot pink tank top and my black mesh hoodie, a pair of black dickies and a bunch of rings, bracelets, black rubber bracelets, etc. on my fingers, grabbed my studded black belt and called it a day. I gazed out of the window and felt tears in my eyes. I didn't have the worst life, I knew that. But it still hurt to know your own flesh and blood was a tramp.  
  
I didn't realize that Craig had sat down next to me until I felt him poke me with the tip of his pencil. I jumped.  
  
"Damn it Craig! Can't you just say hello like a normal person?" I snapped before I realized the harsh tone of my voice. I saw a twinge of hurt in his beautiful eyes and immediately felt guilty for hurting him in the slightest way. "Sorry," I mumbled glancing at him. "I had a really rough morning."  
  
Craig smiled weakly. "It's okay. Wanna talk about it? Mr. Gems isn't here for another fifteen minutes. Come on, lets take a quick walk."  
  
I looked at him as if he was crazy. "You're joking. Dude, if we get busted we'll be in so much fucking shit..No, I can tell you at lunch."  
  
He grinned. "Fine."  
  
I didn't want to talk to anyone that morning. I avoided Ashley through all of our classes, muttering a 'I don't feel good,' to her as she stopped me to ask how I was. I didn't even bother telling off Paige or Hazel when they binder tipped me, I ignored Spinner's cruel remarks.. 'Did your closet through up at you, Corenteniz?' And when Jimmy approached me during health to ask if I was okay I didn't even have time to marvel over the fact that one of the most popular guys in the whole school actually acknowledged my presence. School was such a blur, and as I was rounding the corner to my locker before lunch, I ran right smack into Craig. Muttering an apology, I gathered my books and brushed past him to my locker where I began to work my combination.  
  
"Hold up," I heard him say as he rested his back against the locker next to mine, looking at me. "What's wrong? Tell me..you said you would at lunch. Your eyes are all red, and I heard from Ashley that you were crying in the bathroom during early study hall."  
  
I looked up into his beautiful expecting eyes, and smiled sadly as my own boring hazel/blue eyes filled with tears. "I-I'm fine." I whispered. He looked alarmed and worried at my tears and shaky voice.  
  
"We need to talk, come on."  
  
I wanted to argue, I really did, but my heart melted as Craig grabbed my hand and led me out into the courtyard into a small section of the patio to an empty table where no one was. He sat opposite me and looked pointedly. "Talk."  
  
I sighed. Before I knew it I was telling him everything, from my sister's recent news, to my bingeing on weed. When I was done I found myself crying slightly, and shaking. I looked into his eyes.  
  
"I'm so sorry Cadence," Craig whispered. "Really, if you ever, EVER need anything, you know where my house is, you know my number, you need to talk to me. You know that I'm there for you right?"  
  
I nodded. "I know." I sniffled.  
  
"Wanna come over after school?"  
  
I grinned despite myself. "Yeah, that'd be nice. Thanks, Craig."  
  
Craig nodded. "Don't worry."  
  
I couldn't eat lunch that day, so after Craig and I talked a few more moments I left early and decided to go to class early. I walked into the empty classroom of Ms. Kwan's English class. Settling myself in the back of the room, I laid my head on my arms and closed my eyes. I felt a presence above me and looked up into the dark, brooding eyes of Ashley. A bit startled, I sat up and blinked at her.  
  
"Hey," I muttered.  
  
"Hi." Her voice was soft and soothing and put me at ease. She sat down in front of me and turned to me. "Listen, Cadence, you are my best friend. We need to talk. Something's up..everyone knows it..even Paige mentioned something about your behavior. What's going on? You can tell me! I'm your best friend."  
  
I looked away from her eyes. "I know, it's just..Ashley I need to tell you. I haven't been feeling good lately and..and I dunno. Um.." I wanted to tell her, I really did. But I found it so much harder telling her than it did Craig...but why? I was confused for a moment before I spoke again. "It's just..my Dad um, forgot to pay his support check and well..we're kind of tight on the bill so I can't get that new c.d. I wanted." I lied lamely. I felt so stupid. Lying to Ashley? And about not getting a c.d.? What had gotten into me? She looked skeptically at me and nodded.  
  
"Right, sure." She looked hurt for knowing I lied to her.  
  
"Listen, Ash, I know it sounds stupid, but you know how much I love The Used. And now I can't get their c.d. ...and well I really wanted it!" I feigned fake tears and congratulated myself when I felt the hot tears run down my face.  
  
Ashley looked taken aback. "Oh, Jesus, I'm sorry Cadence! If you need any kind of money, just call me."  
  
I grinned at her. "Thanks." The bell rang and the rest of the class filed in. I felt so horrible. Lying to my best friend? What was wrong with me? I felt horrible as I only half listened to the assignment for that day.  
  
******************************************* End of chapter three...so if it's only half-assed, I'm not in the mood.  
  
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	4. I'm Sorry

Chapter Four I'm Sorry  
  
Some people may not like this chapter, it contains sex in it. So if you don't like that, don't read. And make sure to keep in mind that I'm not planning on making this story very long, it's more of like a mini-series thing, so this part is very important and I wanted it to happen from the get-go. So if you don't like reading sex, (it's not too gritty) then don't read! Simple as that!  
  
When the final bell had rung for the day, Craig and I walked to his house. I felt guilty for going over, I knew he only invited me because of how messed up I was that day, but despite all this, I was happy to have his company, nonetheless.  
  
"Here we are," he said, opening his door to the house. "Joey doesn't come home until seven and Angela's at Emma's house today, she had to baby sit again."  
  
I nodded. My heart fluttered. Alone with Craig, it was too good to be true. I shook my head, what was I thinking? Craig didn't like me, and even if he did, he wouldn't want to do anything with me, I was just feeling sore and needed some kind of comfort.  
  
We walked in his house and sat down on the couch, I putting my stuff down beside me. I waited for him to start talking, the awkward silence getting to me. Finally, when I glanced over at him and he was playing with the remote, I sighed and opened my mouth.  
  
"So."  
  
Craig looked up at me and grinned. "So."  
  
"What's new, Craig?"  
  
He grinned, causing myself to smile and I wanted so badly to fling my arms around him, to hug him tightly, to love him, to kiss him, to touch him. It was almost unbearable, but I shook the thought out of my head once again and waited for his answer. To my surprise he leaned in closer to me.  
  
"Listen, Cadence I have to tell you something, and I know it may not be the like, I dunno, best time but seeing as what happened to you yesterday, I just don't want it to be too late."  
  
I was confused. "What is it?"  
  
He took a deep breath. "Well, see, there's this girl, right..and I really like her." My heart sank. I knew he didn't like me. It was just too good to be true. I listened on some more. "And, I don't know how she feels and, I dunno, I really, really like her. She's funny and nice and smart-" Okay now I knew it was definitely not me, I mean, he tutors me! "And pretty. I dunno, how am I supposed to tell her?"  
  
I diverted my eyes from his. "Just tell her. The worst that could happen is that she doesn't like you back."  
  
Craig looked deep into my eyes. "Okay. Well, Cadence." My heart stopped. I peered at him uncertainly. "I like you."  
  
I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just me? Craig, that like sounded totally lame and movie-ish. We need to help you with better lines." I started cracking up again and I heard him laugh too. But before I knew it I tasted his lips on mine, and I wasn't sure what was happening. This was just too weird, how could Craig like me? Especially when I like him? But I didn't want the kiss to end, so I wrapped my arms around his neck, and put everything I had into the kiss. All the pain I had felt that morning, all the sadness, all the love I had never had my whole life. Even though this seemed so unreal I didn't want it to end.  
  
What was I doing? Craig picked me up as we continued to kiss, I wrapping my legs around his waist. He was fairly strong carrying me up all those steps, I wasn't a petite girl. I don't know why we were doing what we were as he laid me on his bed and continued kissing me as I took off his shirt. I knew I wasn't ready to do what we were about to, but his simple touch left me wanting more. I don't know if it was the curiosity of never being kissed before, and never feeling these things before that kept me wanting more, or let Craig take off my shirt, but I knew he wasn't going to hurt me. He was too kind, too sincere. I thought about how my sister just had revealed she was pregnant, and part of me wanted to stop as Craig eased himself into me, but the ecstasy I felt mixed with the pain of losing my virginity, I didn't want it to stop. Unsure of why I was doing this, I knew I liked Craig, but did I love him? Did he love me?  
  
When I look back on it now, it seemed I was only using Craig for the love I had been deprived of all my life...what was he using me for? All I knew was that I was caught up in the moment, and I didn't want it to end.  
  
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End of Chapter Four. This story may seem as if it's rushing a bit, but I'm not planning on making this story very long, only a couple of more chapters, so I want to get to the climax of the story. Also keep in mind that they have known each other for about 2 years, and they are both going to be seventeen. If you didn't like this chapter, I'm sorry, but I have had it in mind since the beginning.  
  
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